How Did We Get To Be Incarceration Nation?

American exceptionalism is a reality in terms of locking up almost 5 times as many citizens as all other advanced industrialized democracies. Over the last 40 years, the incarceration rate has skyrocketed by nearly 400 percent. How did we get here? Professor of Government at Cornell author Peter K. Enns discusses the findings of his extensive research in his new book “Incarceration Nation: How the United States Became the Most Punitive Democracy in the World.” There are many surprises and much to be learned. But we are beginning to turn it around. Al last.